12.12.12

By Mary Miller Cullins

Today is the century’s last sequential date!  

For some, it represents luck.  For others, it’s a day of romance and weddings.  For most of us, it’s just another Wednesday.  But there is no doubt that the number 12 is significant around the world for “dozens” of reasons!

The number 12 is strongly associated with the heavens–the 12 months, the 12 signs of the zodiac, and the 12 stations of the Moon and of the Sun.  The ancients recognized 12 main northern stars and 12 main southern stars.  There are 24= 2 x 12 hours in the day, of which 12 are daytime and 12 are nighttime.

The Ancients loved the number 12.  Greek mythology has it that 12 Olympians are principal deities of the Greek pantheon; according to followers of Shia Islam, prophet Muhammad had 12 successors known as Imams. They believe the 12th and final Imam, Muhammad al Mahdi, will rise and restore order in the world; in Christian mythology Jesus had 12 apostles.

Other miscellaneous fun facts about the Number 12 are:  The human body has 12 pairs of ribs and 12 pairs of cranial nerves; both Chinese and western zodiacs have 12 signs; Western music divides an octave into 12 notes; there are 12 face cards in a deck; 12 jurors; 12 inches make a foot; Cubans bring in the New Year by eating 12 grapes-for each month gone by-at the stroke of midnight; 12 days of Christmas.

December 12, 2012 is exactly 6 years, 6 months, 6 days from June 6, 2006 or 06/06/06!

Personally, all I keep thinking about as far as the “12″ goes is the rock and roll band RUSH!  They just made it into the Rock N Roll Hall Fame, during their maiden appearance on the ballot no less!  I think today, will be a Rush day–beginning with the album 2112!

“And the meek shall inherit the Earth”